Mail-bag catcher.



No. 869,304. PATENTED OUT. 29, 1907.

J. T. HINDMAN.

MAI L BAG GATGHER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1907.

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PATENTED 001 .29. 1907.

'JnT, HINDMAN. MAIL BAG GATGHER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1907.

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JAMES T. HINDMAN, OF GRAYVILLE, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

A uca August 19.1907. Serial No. 389,293.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES T. HINDMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Grayville, White county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Mail-Bag Catchers, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof My invention relates to an improved mail bag catcher, and the object of my invention is to construct a simple, inexpensive apparatus which is located adjacent a railway track, and which is adapted to receive mail bags.

thrown from a passenger train.

A further object of my invention is to so arrange a mail bag catcher as that the basket which receives the bags is movable and yieldingly mounted, thus reducing the shock incident to the receiving of a mail bag from a passing train, and thereby preventing theicontents of the bag from being crushed or injured.

To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth,

pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mail bag catcher; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mail bag catcher; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown at the right hand in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a reversible collar which forms a connection between the swinging arm of the device and the bag receiving basket; Fig. 7 is a detail section of a spring buffer arranged to engage the swinging arm at the ends of its stroke.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings:1 designates a center post, the lower end of which is rigidly fixed in the ground adjacent the railroad track, and arranged at short distances away from said post 1, on opposite sides thereof, and parallel with the track, are the posts 2, the upper ends of which are connected by a horizontally disposed bar 3, the center of which is rigidly fixed to a short tube 4, extending forward from the post 1. Rigidly fixed to the ends of this bar 3 are the ends of a pair of semi-circular guide bars 5; and arranged between the ends of these guide bars are buffer plates 6, behind which are positioned expansive coil springs 7.

A vertically disposed swinging arm 8 has its upper end provided with a slot 9; and passing through said slot and through the tube 4, is a bolt 01' pin 10, which forms a bearing for said swinging arm. Connected to the upper end of this arm 8 is the lower end of a rod 11, the upper end of which is connected to a coil spring 12, and the upper end of said spring being attached to a bracket 13, projecting forward from the upper end of the post 1. Arranged on the arm 8, below the slot 9, is a horizontally disposed bar 14, and secured to the ends thereof are the lower ends of retractile coil springs 15, the upper ends of which are connected by means of rods 16 t0 the bracket 13. Fixed to the ends of the bar 14 are the upper ends of a pair of stay rods 17, the

lower ends of which are fixed to the lower portion of the arm 8. v

The lower end of the arm 8 projects between the guide bars 5, and reversibly arranged on the rear end of said arm is a collar 18, carrying a pair of oppositely arranged, upwardly projecting loops 19. Fixed to one side of this collar 18 is the mail receiving basket 20, which is preferably constructed of wire netting, and being curved downwardly and to one side of said collar 18.

Fixed to the posts 2, and projecting outward there from, are short tubes 21; and fixed to the outer end of each tube is a vertically disposed semi-circular plate 22, to the rear edge of which is hinged a semi-circular plate 23; and each pair of plates are connected at their lower ends by a retractile coil spring 24. Seated in the outer end of each tube 21 is a pin 25, and pivotally arranged on each pin is the lower end of a verticallydisposed pin 26, which projects above the pair of semicircular plates 22 and 23. The pins 26 so arranged are pivotally supported on the pins 25, and when swung downward, said pins 26 cause the plates 23 to swing outward against the resistance offered by the coil spring 24.

To set the apparatus in position to receive a mail bag, the arm 8, carrying the basket 20 at its lower end, is swung upon its pivot until one of the loops 19 can be engaged over one of the pins 26; and this action neces sarily stores power in one of the coil springs 15 and the spring 12. Thus the device is set for use, and the basket is elevated and pointing in the direction from which the train approaches.

The mail bag thrown off from the passing train drops into the basket 20, and the impact therefrom causes the pin 26, over which the loop 19 is engaged, to swing upon its pivot pin 25; and, in so doing, the plate 23, holding said pin in a vertical position, is swung outward. As soon as the loop 19 is thus released, the weight and force of the mail bag just deposited in the basket, together with the retractile power of the expanded springs 12 and 15, will cause the arm 8 to swing into a position reverse from the position in which it was set; and, after so swinging, said arm will return to an upright position, owing to the equalizing power of the springs 12 and 15. Thus, the mail bag is yieldingly received and brought into a position where it may be readily removed.

Should the arm 8 be swung to its limit of movement in either direction as a result of the impact between the mail bag and the basket, the buffer plates 6 will engage the lower end of the arm at the ends of the guide bars 5, thus preventing breakage of any of the parts of the apparatus resulting from the striking oi the arm 8 against the ends of the bar 3.

The collar 18 is reversible in order that the basket 20 may be shifted from one side to the other. corresponding to the direction of travel of the train delivering mail bags.

A mail. bag catcher of my improved construction is simple, inexpensive, comprises a minimum number of parts, can readily be set up for use, and yieldingly receives the bags thrown from trains, thus minimizing the danger of injury to the contents of said bag.

I claim:

l. A mail bag catcher. comprising an upright frame. an arm pivotally arranged on said frame. a basket carried on the lower end of said arm, and guides arranged on the frame between which guides the free endof the arm travels.

2. A mail bag catcher. comprising an upright frame. an arm pivotally arranged on said frame, a basket carried on the lower end-0f said arm, guides arranged on the frame between which guides the free end of the arm travels, and means whereby the upper end of the pivoted arm is yielding-1y connected to the frame.

3. A-mail bag catcher, comprising an upright frame. an arm pivot-ally arranged on said frame. a basket carried on l l l l i l l the lower end of said arm, guides arranged on the frame between which guides the free end of the arm travels, and means arranged on the sides of the frame for engaging; the lower end of the pivoted arm and hold the basket in position to receive a mail bag.

l. A mail bag catcher, comprising an upright frame, semicircular guides arranged thereon, an arm pivotally arranged on the frame, the free end of which arm travels between the guides. and a reversible basket carried by the lower end of the arm 5. A. mail bag catcher, comprising an upright frame, semi-circular guides arranged thereon. an arm pivotally arranged on the frame, the free end of which arm travels between the guides, a reversible basket carried by the lower end of the arm, and yielding butters arranged at the ends of the guides in the path of travel of the pivoted arm.

(5. In a mail bag; catcher, an upright frame. a swinging arm yieldingly mounted on said frame. means whereby the swing of said arm is limited. and a bag receiving basket carried by the lower end of said arm.

In testimony whereof. I have signed my name to this spec.iication, in presence at two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES 'l. IIINDMAN.

Witnesses M. 1. SMITH. E. L. \YALLACE. 

